Overview
- Most third-round ties were completed over January 9–11, highlighted by sixth-tier Macclesfield’s 2-1 elimination of holders Crystal Palace and Manchester City’s 10-1 win over Exeter.
- Wrexham ousted Nottingham Forest on penalties, while Newcastle advanced in a shootout after a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth.
- The final third-round match is Liverpool vs Barnsley on Monday night at Anfield.
- The fourth-round draw is scheduled for Monday, 12 January at around 18:35 GMT on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+, with Steven Gerrard and Joe Cole drawing the balls and Darren Fletcher and Ally McCoist presenting, and the 1–32 ball list already published.
- This season features no replays, and a new UK broadcast setup makes TNT Sports the primary rights holder with most matches on discovery+, scaled-back BBC coverage, and no live fixtures on ITV.